Storage is critical for powdered milk. The colder it is, the better it will store. It will also store longer in a metal can than it will in a cardboard box (like the ones you typically buy at the store). Studies have shown that the shelf life of milk has been lengthened to up to 20 years, but that is if stored in optimal conditions. If you really want to rotate your milk when the quality is as its best...try and use it within 5 years. It can definitely last longer than that, but the quality might degrade a little bit. Just to illustrate the value of cold temperatures, the following is a list of how long your milk will last under different temperatures (these are conservative numbers).
50 degrees-48 months
70 degrees- 24 months
90 degrees- 3 months
When storing your milk, try and find the coolest place in your home. Place the powdered milk on the lowest shelf as the air will be the coolest near the floor. Also, don't store milk (or other food storage items) in your garage if you can help it. If you live in a place that is either always hot, or a place that fluctuates between hot summers and cold winters...your garage will take the brunt of it and the temperatures (especially the fluctuating ones) will shorten the shelf life of your food immensely.
No comments:
Post a Comment